


Not Really Sure

by Dayglo



Series: Connect. Disconnect. [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gen, Song-inspired, fallout from CA:WS
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-22
Updated: 2014-09-22
Packaged: 2018-02-18 10:04:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2344418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dayglo/pseuds/Dayglo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I can't give you a reason to stay."</p>
<p>He didn't move, didn't turn around, didn't loosen the death grip on his bag.  "But?"</p>
<p>A deep shaky breath that rattles his bones.  "I want you to stay."</p>
<p>It's a frozen tableau; two broken monsters with nowhere else to go.  The building breathes around them as they wait for the other to make their move.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>After the events of Captain America:Winter Soldier, everything changes.  For everyone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not Really Sure

_Funny you're the broken one_

_But I'm the only one who_

_Needed saving_

 

Bruce was in his lab when S.H.I.E.L.D. ended.  Tony came down, shell-shocked, to tell him what had happened.  They waited for two days before they heard confirmation from Natasha that she and Steve were both alive and as well as could be expected; that Clint had managed to get out.  It was three more days before she showed up at the tower, with the full story.  Tony sighed in relief, then went to find Pepper.  Natasha followed him, asking about possible relocation of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to SI.  Bruce was suddenly alone for the first time in five days.

He wasted no time. 

Bruce was in his room and running through his mental on-the-run checklist before he was even consciously aware of leaving the den.  He was sure he could hear Ross pounding on the door.  It was ridiculous, he knew. But he'd survived this long by cultivating a healthy sense of paranoia. It had served him well in the past and would again now.

Bruce grabbed the go bag that he had never been able to convince himself he wouldn't ever need again.  He was hurriedly throwing a few new, precious things into his duffle when she suddenly appeared at his door.

She was silent for a moment, as she watched him studiously ignore her presence.  "We can still protect you."

He snorted, "I think you're going to have a few more important things to worry about over the next few months."

Natasha shrugged, faux casualness screaming in every movement. "Not really, no."

He still doesn't turn around.  "It's too dangerous."

Her laugh is dangerous, devoid of humor.  "For who, Doctor?"

He slips, just for a moment, the movement of his hands stuttering against his will.  He's losing his tenuous grip on his emotions.  Damn her.  "For everyone", he whispers softly.

"Bullshit."

This finally gets him to whirl around.  He's pretty sure his eyes flash green for a moment, because her face pales, but she refuses to flinch.  He looks at her, really looks at her for the first time since she's come in, notices her own bag in hand.  "I can't leave, but you can?"

He thinks he sees annoyance flutter across her face for just a second, but he can't be sure.  "Clint's trying to  make his way back under the radar. I'm gonna go lay some false trails for both of us, see if I can't buy him some time for safe passage."  There's a pause.  "I'm coming back."

Her 'you're not' goes unspoken between them.  He lets it add to everything else they've left unspoken.  It's beginning to build up.  Eventually, it's going to topple and crush them both.  "With S.H.I.E.L.D. around, it was safer for me to stay here where they could see me, offer me some protection from Ross.  Without that protection, there's no reason for me to stay here."

Natasha pursed her lips in exasperation.  "The Tower is still the safest place for you.  _We_ can protect you from Ross."

Bruce was shaking his head before she had finished.  "No, you can't.  Not forever.  Not with everything that's out there now, about S.H.I.E.L.D., about the Avengers Initiative.  You're going to have enough problems protecting yourselves."

"We protect each other.  You don't think having the Hulk living here is a deterrent to at least some of our enemies?"

He refused to be moved.  "Not enough of one.  He's also a lure to too many of them."

She finally stepped into the room, walking into his space.  "You should stay."

Bruce tightened the grip on his bag as he felt his resolve waver.  He needed to get out of here, now, before he changed his mind.  "Why?"

Something flashed in Natasha's eyes, but it was gone before Bruce could identify it, let alone name it.  "Why not?"

Okay, he was done with this.  She could, and would talk around him in circles for hours, manipulating him until he agreed to stay without meaning to.  She was never going to give him a real answer; it wasn't how she worked.  And he was _done_.  Bruce turned away from her, headed toward the door.  "Yeah, I'm leaving now."

Her hand reached out as he passed by, but stopped short of actually touching him.  "Bruce-"

He didn't slow down.  "Goodbye, Natasha."

" _Bruce_ ", the broken note in her voice makes him pause.  He's never heard her actually allow emotion in her voice before.  Except for the time she tried to keep him from turning into a monster and killing her.  He finally stops completely, just shy of the door.  If this is just another manipulation, another play to trick him into doing what she wants, he's gone.  And he is never, ever coming back.

He sighed.  "What, Natasha."

Silence. He can't say he's surprised; he should know better, by now.  But he can almost _feel_ the tension she's radiating behind him.  Something's wrong...off.  He's missing a part of the puzzle.  But he doesn't know what. She doesn't speak until he gets ready to move again.

 "I can't give you a reason to stay."

He didn't move, didn't turn around, didn't loosen the death grip on his bag.  "But?"

A deep shaky breath that rattles his bones.  "I want you to stay."

It's a frozen tableau; two broken monsters with nowhere else to go.  The building breathes around them as they wait for the other to make their move.

The bag hits the floor.

 

_Cause when you never see the light_

_It's hard to know which one_

_Of us is caving_

**Author's Note:**

> Title and song lyrics at the beginning and end are from Stay by Rihanna.


End file.
